Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HAR-POON', n. [Fr. harpon; Sp. arpon; Port. arpam, arpeo; It. arpione; G. harpune; D. harpoen; from Fr. harper, to grapple; Sp. arpar, to claw; Gr. άρπαζω, from άρπαω, to seize with the claws; probably L. rapio, by transposition of letters. Class Rb.]

A harping-iron; a spear or javelin, used to strike whales for killing them. It consists of a long shank, with a broad flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges for penetrating the whale with facility. It is generally thrown by hand.